Waving goodbye to reams of bulky reports

Wave Technology has sought to bring the oil exploration industry into the digital age.

By integrating GIS technology into their digital maps and regional reports, Wave has helped to transform the way in which oil exploration companies can access information about any remote, oil-rich regions all over the world.

Not only is most of the world’s untapped oil difficult to find, but more often than not, most new potential deposits are located in politically volatile regions of the world. Consequently having as much information as possible about a region – from geological data to local politics – it vital for oil companies if they are to commit millions of dollars to a new exploration project.

Wave Technology specialises in digital mapping, reporting and research services for oil and other exploration companies. Boasting such clients as Chevron – Texaco and ENI, Wave recently adopted a new IT innovation, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), in order to increase the information companies can access through Wave’s digital mapping products.

Wave’s Managing Director, Wyn Roberts, began considering the market potential for GIS technology years ago. “Many industries already use GIS,” explained Wyn, “but for some reason the oil industry has been slow to jump onboard.” The reports that oil exploration companies usually use are provided in hard copy and often span several volumes of printed material. “Basically, 80% of all this information can be related to a map. A GIS report takes all the different information that an oil company needs and puts it on your computer screen. On the front end what you see is a map but with GIS it means this map has a database behind it. This enables you to click on any item on the map and all information relating to that item can be readily displayed.”

The KTP programme allowed Wave to take on a KTP Associate for two years in order to lead Waves GIS development project. For its part, LSBU assisted the progress of the project by providing facilities and onsite consultancy services in the IT fields relevant to GIS.

Dr Vic Lane, lead academic on the project, explained how this collaboration has benefitted the university. “LSBU came into this project with plenty of theoretical, but little practical experience in GIS applications. However at the end of the programme staff involved on this project came away with first hand understanding of how GIS is being used in the business world.”

When Wave completed its KTP project, the sale of their prototype GIS report made the programme an instant success. Moreover, the reports marketability helped to cement GIS technology within the company and the project as a whole served as a springboard to a new, more ambitious GIS mapping projects for the group. “We think that the KTP programme benefitted everyone involved, and that is why we are pursuing a second programme,” praised Wyn.